The passing of former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga continues to stir waves of emotion and reflection across Kenya, with the latest call coming from Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga who has urged President William Ruto to immortalize the late statesman’s legacy through one of the country’s most ambitious projects, the Talanta Stadium.

Speaking during Odinga’s funeral service in Bondo on Sunday, Wanga appealed to President Ruto to rename the Ksh. 44 billion, 60,000-seater landmark facility in honour of Odinga’s lifelong passion for sports.

“Our president, we only ask one more thing from you… that magnificent 60,000-seater stadium… we ask that it be renamed Raila Odinga Talanta Stadium,” Wanga declared, drawing applause from mourners.

Governor Wanga further suggested that the stadium’s grand opening should feature an international football friendly between English Premier League side Arsenal ,the team Odinga famously supported and the Harambee Stars. “Since you are also an Arsenal fan, just like Baba was… once the stadium is complete next year, we ask you to invite Arsenal to come play a friendly against Harambee Stars as part of the Raila Odinga Memorial Cup. Manchester United fans will have to find something else to do on that day,” she joked, lightening an otherwise sombre occasion.

Her remarks followed similar sentiments expressed in the National Assembly last Thursday, where several legislators proposed that the new stadium should carry Odinga’s name as a lasting testament to his contribution to the nation and his unwavering love for sports.

The Talanta Stadium, set to be completed by the end of this year, is one of President Ruto’s flagship projects and is expected to be ready for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania. The state-of-the-art facility will become the largest sporting arena in the country and the most modern since the construction of the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, in 1987. Built to hold 60,000 spectators before later renovations scaled it down to 48,000 seats, Kasarani has remained Kenya’s largest venue for decades. The Talanta Stadium designed exclusively for football and rugby ,will be the first of its kind in the region.

Beyond his towering political career, Raila Odinga was deeply connected to Kenyan sport. He served as patron of Gor Mahia Football Club and was a regular fixture at national team matches, continental tournaments, and community sports events. His last known sporting appearance was during the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), which Kenya co-hosted with Uganda and Tanzania in August , just weeks before his death from a heart attack in India.

The debate on how best to commemorate Odinga’s legacy remains ongoing. Some leaders and citizens believe that renaming Kisumu International Airport after him would be more fitting, aligning with international traditions of honouring leaders through major transport hubs such as Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (Nairobi), John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York), Charles de Gaulle Airport (Paris), Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi), and O. R. Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg).

Others, however, argue that the Talanta Stadium name already embodies the spirit of Kenyan talent and sporting excellence. Yet, across Africa, it is not uncommon for major sports facilities to carry the names of iconic figures, from Uganda’s Mandela National Stadium and Zambia’s Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, to Senegal’s Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor and South Africa’s Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Nairobi County Assembly Majority Leader Peter Imwatok added his voice to the growing calls, describing the renaming as a “living legacy” that bridges the shared passions of Odinga and President Ruto.

“We need a living legacy. Let Talanta Stadium , one of President Ruto’s flagship projects and a symbol of Kenya’s sporting future bear the name Raila Odinga,” Imwatok said. “Both President Ruto and Raila Odinga share a deep love for football; they are proud members of the Arsenal family, just like myself. The greatest honour the President could bestow upon Baba is to rename it.